Caster socket member.



D. A. MAGCUAIG. GASTBR SOCKET MEMBER. APPLICATION FILED 00T. 31.1908.

Patented sept. 7, 1909.

DUNCAN A.f NAocUAre," or NEIBI'tAsKAl CITY, NEBRASKA.

CASTER SOCKET MEMBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

Applicationfiled. October 31, 1908. Serial No. 460,481.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, DUNCAN A. MAC- CUAIG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nebraska City, in the county of Otoe and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Caster Socket Member, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a socket member which can be cheaply produced, and has a novel arrangement of pintle retaining springs, so disposed that they do not interfere with the introduction of the pintle into the socket, and will effectively maintain the pintle in position while assuring the same being perfectl'y centered and permitting its free rotation.

In the accompanying drawings z-Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank for the preferred form of construction. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the socket member after it has been formed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the same. a vertical sectional view at right angles to Fig. 8, and showing a caster in place. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a slightly modified form of construction. Fig. 7 is a plan View of the same.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts 'in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring irst to the embodiment disclosed in Figs. 1-5 inclusive, the socket member is formed from a single piece of sheet metal, Vthe blank of which is disclosed in Fig. 1. This sheet metal `is doubled to produce a tubular wall formed of oppositeV sections 8 that are transversely curved, and have their edges abutted; The sections are connected by a central portion 9 constituting the upper end wall of the member. Sets of oppositely disposed pintle-retaining springs 10 are provided, andwthese springs are cut from the margins of the sections 8. Each set comprises two springs formed from the adjacent margins of the different sections, and said springs are located side by side, and extend into the socket defined by the sections. Their upper ends are preferably curved, as shown in Fig. 5, in order that they will more snugly lit about the head 11 of the caster pintle 12. A track plate 18 is employed that surrounds the `lower ends of Fig. 4: is

the sections which are preferably flared out, as shown at 14, the track plate being held in position by outstanding lugs 15 upset from the sections. In the preferred form of construction, the track plate is curved, as shown in Fig. 4, and has peripheral teeth 16. A fiat plate 17 may, however, be employcd, which has a central opening 18 receiving the lower end of the socket member 19, constructed as above set forth. This plate has openings 20 through which fastening devices can be passed.

It will be evident that this socket member can be cheaply produced, and yet it has dccided advantages because of the sets of independent springs employed, the springs of each set being relatively yieldable so as to permit the passage of the head of the pintle. Moreover these springs, being cut from the margins of the sections, can be easily produced. Furthermore said 4springs have a comparatively broad bearing against the pintle, thus keeping it properly centered, and yet permitting its free rotation in the socket member.

From the foregoing, it isv thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing'any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A caster retainer comprising a substan tially tubular socket, and a plurality of pairs of pintle retaining springs carried by the socket and projecting inwardly, said springs being `located edge-to-edge.

2. A caster retainer comprising a substantially tubular socket (formed of sheetmetal doubled into opposing transversely-curved sections), an opposite pintle retaining springs cut from the margins of the sections, said springs extending inwardly into the socket.

3. A caster retainer comprising a substantially tubular socket formed of sheet metal A doubled into opposing .transverselycurved sections, and sets of pairs of pintle-retaining as my own, I have hereto nxed my Signnt ture 1n the presence of two w1tnesses.

DUNCAN A. MACCUAIG.

V'Vtnesses PAUL JESSEN, ALF BENNETT.

springs Carried on opposed sides of the socket, each pair of springs being located sde-by-sde and edge-to-edge, the upper ends of the springs being inwardly and then out- Wardly turned to engage with the pntle head.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing 

